Recommendations

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group has a Wide Range

2021-03-03
SE White
Blogging, Insecure Writer's Support Group Post, Recommendations, Silliness

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group meets online on the first Wednesday of every month to prop supports underneath struggling writers and offer their own insecurities to the fresh air and sunshine. Fresh air kills insecurities, they’re exactly like viruses. Just trust me on this. To sign up for the group yourself, click here. Our fearless moderators for the March 3 posting of the IWSG are Sarah – The Faux Fountain Pen, Jacqui Murray, Chemist Ken, Victoria Marie Lees, Natalie Aguirre, and JQ Rose! Don’t forget to thank…

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Book Tropes: I Can’t Argue With You When You’re Sick!

2021-02-17
SE White
Blogging, Book Reviews, Recommendations, Reviews, Romance Tropes, Top 10 Lists

For this post it’s that trope, nearly always employed in an enemies-to-lovers type situation, where one of the duo gets sick/injured or is suddenly in imminent danger. Ruh-roh, Scooby! Because they are acting like antagonists life conspires to basically FORCE their defenses down in a way the character would probably never do on their own. Isn’t it the best? When they’re happily spatting, all defensive maneuvers deployed, sarcasm shots launching A+ hard, and then it’s all “Wait, you’re sick? Really…

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A Very Valentine’s Post

2021-02-10
SE White
Blogging, Holiday Wishes, Recommendations, Romance Tropes, Silliness

Valentine’s Day is approaching quickly and it seems that, as a writer of romance, I should…celebrate this holiday? I might have some sort of special *insight* into a day promoting love, relationships, promiscuity (or at least some fun new sex acts) and attractively-packaged, violently-pink sugar products? I can at least pretend to be enthusiastic about this marketing opportunity? Is that right? *Checks notes* Ah-ha. Yes. Indeed this is all so. Well, okay then. I can’t claim any insight into the…

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When I Said I Wanted Critique: Feel That Author Pain

2021-01-20
SE White
Author Toolbox Blog Hop Post, Critique, Goals and Hopes, My Books, Recommendations, Silliness, Writing Process

The stages of accepting constructive criticism, as told through gifs. We all can agree that beta reading is crucial to the success of a story. Having other eyeballs touch your story, pre-publication, is one of the necessary steps a book goes through. Whether it’s a kind friend who volunteers, a writing group, or a professional editor — the link goes to a good post by author D.E. Haggerty on why she uses editors vs. beta readers — you will be…

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Book Tropes: A Mail-Order Happily Ever After

2021-01-13
SE White
Blogging, Recommendations, Reviews, Romance Tropes, Top 10 Lists

Another trope rec post! This time the specific mood I’m in is that carefully arranged, sometimes mail-ordered happily ever after. I’ve always loved mail-order bride books (despite knowing arranged marriage is much more complicated in real life). This isn’t reality, this is fiction, and in fiction picking a partner like you’re ordering an entrée from a menu ends perfectly every time. For this list I’m focusing on the mail-order trope but including some of the more standard arranged-marriage books because…

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The Great Reading Wrap-Up of 2020

2020-12-30
SE White
Blogging, Critique, Recommendations, Reviews, Romance Tropes, Top 10 Lists

In the grand tradition of December, let’s do some wrapping up. Wrap some presents. Wrap-up your holiday shopping. Write lots of wrap-up lists. Wrap-up small, misbehaving children Krampus style to mail to . . . haha . . . ooops. Don’t do that. Got carried away there. Number Of Books I Read: 265 Left unsupervised again. Plus, worldwide pandemic, quarantine, and stress-reading to the maximum amount possible. I’m talking reading a probably unhealthy amount from March to May. Number of…

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Book Tropes: Beauty and the Beast

2020-12-09
SE White
Blogging, Book Reviews, Recommendations, Reviews, Romance Tropes, Top 10 Lists

Yep, it’s time for another trope recommendation post. This one is my very, very favorite, ride or die, auto-buy trope, so this will be a very long rec post. Be warned! Do I know there are hundreds (maybe thousands) of retellings of this fairy tale? Yep. Does that stop me from buying them and hoping more come out? NOPE. Something about seeing through outward appearances to the genuine, worthy, real person within has always caught my attention. You know that…

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Fall In Love With These Bookblogs: 2020 Edition

2020-11-25
SE White
Blogging, Holiday Wishes, Recommendations, Reviews, Romance Tropes

It’s autumn and I’m so happy. We live in a pretty temperate zone of North America, all things considered. The seasons rest gently on us here. Spring is soft & wonderful, winter isn’t usually so full of snow we can’t get around, and I enjoy the hot days and long evenings in summer. It’s just…they’re not my favorite. Sorry, other seasons. Fall is totally my favorite child. When autumn shows up I am ready to grab it and hug it…

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Book Tropes: The Grovel in The Novel

2020-10-14
SE White
Book Reviews, Recommendations, Romance Tropes, Top 10 Lists

Sometimes I’m in the mood for a super specific, really niche trope. It’s like a food craving, where only that certain brand from that one store will do. In this case it’s a good old grovel. Not the little token apology with immediate making-out, ohhh no. I want the real down-and-dirty, sincere, I-fucked-up, oh-my-god-I-was-so-dumb, dawning realization. It doesn’t particularly matter to me which character (hero or heroine or all three heroes in a reverse harem) is doing the groveling. There…

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